Take Two For ‘PIRATE Act’ On Capitol Hill

DELRAY BEACH, FLA. — Palm Beach County, like Broward and Miami-Dade Counties to the south, has been plagued by pirate radio activity for years. Some pop up after dark, and at various hours. Similar unlicensed activity has lured largely underserved ethnic listeners away from legitimate AM stations, or online streams, and has also attracted the likes of concert promoters and advertisers seeking a unique audience to connect to.

Approximately one hour south of this city is a pirate that has received the maximum penalty allowed by law from the FCC. This entity bills itself as “the #1 Haitian radio in Miami,” has had a Twitter feed for nearly a decade, and continues to broadcast at various hours at 90.1 MHz from North Miami.

The 115th Congress started the fight to give greater fighting power to the FCC to put these operators off the air for good, and to collect massively increased fines. It’s up to the 116th Congress to act.

Adam R Jacobson is a veteran radio industry journalist and advertising industry analyst with general, multicultural and Hispanic market expertise. From 1996 to 2006 he served as an editor at Radio & Records.